Rosewood is a hardwood whose attractive colour has made it popular for furniture, panelling, veneers, and in the making of musical instruments.
Linggoa, Sena, Amboyna, Angsana, Narra, Padauk
Pterocarpus indicus
![](/sites/default/files/styles/detail_image/public/PterocarpusindicusPacificRosewood.jpg?itok=E9S8NXqO)
Rosewood is a hardwood native to South-East Asia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Sabah, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. Some trees of the species grow very highly figured burrs, which are given the name 'Ambonya wood' from the Indonesian island of Ambon, and in veneer form are used in the making of furniture. Other uses of the wood include turnery, paneling, guitar-making, and knife handles.
The heartwood of rosewood can be either golden brown or a dark blood-red, while the sapwood is pale yellow and up to 60mm wide. The wood is of medium texture and the grain is variable. Freshly cut, the wood has a fragrant odour and is often highly figured: burrs are highly prized in furniture-making.
The timber is susceptible to lyctid borer, but is termite resistant. In its sawn form it is easily worked with hand and machine tools. The heartwood is hard to stain, but polishes to a lustrous finish. Rosewood is imported in small quantities.
Shrinkage
Very Low | Low | Medium | High | Very High | |
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Tangential : |
2.00%
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Radial : |
1.00%
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Unit Movement Tangential: |
0.32%
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Unit Movement Radial: |
0.19%
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Strength Group
![Strength groups are given for unseasoned (S1-S7) and seasoned (SD1-SD8) timber in accordance with AS 2878. S1 and SD1 yield the highest strength and stiffness whereas S7 and SD8 yield the lowest.](/themes/custom/woodsolutions/images/tooltip.png)
Very High |
High |
Reasonably High |
Medium High |
Medium |
Reasonably Low |
Low |
Very Low |
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Unseasoned: |
S1 |
S2 |
S3 |
S4 |
S5 |
S6 |
S7 |
S8 |
|
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Seasoned: |
SD1 |
SD2 |
SD3 |
SD4 |
SD5 |
SD6 |
SD7 |
SD8 |
|
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Stress Grade
![A stress grade is defined in AS 1720 as the classification of timber for structural purposes by means of either visual or machine grading. The stress grade indicates the basic working stresses and stiffnesses to be used for structural design purposes. Measured in MPa.](/themes/custom/woodsolutions/images/tooltip.png)
Structural No. 1 |
Structural No. 2 |
Structural No. 3 |
Structural No. 4 |
Structural No. 5 |
|
Unseasoned: |
F14 |
F11 |
F8 |
F7 |
F5 |
Seasoned: |
F17 |
F14 |
F11 |
F8 |
F7 |
Density per Standard
![Seasoned density is based on moisture content of 12%. Unseasoned density is an approximation as it depends on the moisture content at the time of measurement. Measured kg/m3.](/themes/custom/woodsolutions/images/tooltip.png)
Seasoned: |
593kg/m3
|
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Unseasoned: |
Joint Group
![The joint group is a classification of the strength of a species in joint design. The values are from 1 (very high strength) to 6 (very low strength).](/themes/custom/woodsolutions/images/tooltip.png)
Very High |
High |
Reasonably High |
Medium |
Low |
Very Low |
|
Unseasoned: |
J1 |
J2 |
J3 |
J4 |
J5 |
J6 |
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Seasoned: |
JD1 |
JD2 |
JD3 |
JD4 |
JD5 |
JD6 |
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Colour
![The colour of seasoned heartwood can vary between species and often within a species. The information provided should be used as a general guide only. In most cases, the colour of sapwood is either a lighter shade of the heartwood or a white/cream colour.](/themes/custom/woodsolutions/images/tooltip.png)
White, yellow, pale straw to light brown | Pink to pink brown | Light to dark red | Brown, chocolate, mottled or streaky | |
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Mechanical Properties
Modulus of Rupture - Unseasoned: |
73
|
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Modulus of Rupture - Seasoned: |
92
|
Modulus of Elasticity - Unseasoned: |
10
|
Modulus of Elasticity - Seasoned: |
12
|
Maximum Crushing Strength - Unseasoned: ![]() |
37
|
Maximum Crushing Strength - Seasoned: |
59
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Impact - Unseasoned: |
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Impact - Seasoned: |
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Toughness - Unseasoned: |
Medium - 15 - 24 Nm
|
Toughness - Seasoned: |
Low - up to 15 Nm
|
Hardness - Unseasoned: |
4.3
|
Hardness - Seasoned: |
4.3
|
Durability
Low | Moderate | Reasonably High | High | |
(0 - 5 yrs) | (5 - 15 yrs) | (15 - 25 yrs) | (more than 25 yrs) | |
In-Ground: |
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(0 - 7 yrs) | (7 - 15 yrs) | (15 - 40 yrs) | (More than 40 yrs) | |
Above ground: |
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(0 - 20 yrs, usually < 5) | (21 - 40 yrs) | (41 - 64 yrs) | (More than 60 yrs) | |
Marine Borer Resistance: |
Lyctid Borer Susceptibility: |
Susceptible |
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Lyctid Borer Susceptibility - Other: |
|
Termite Resistance: |
Resistant
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Fire Properties
1 - non-combustible | 2 - reasonably non-combustible | 3 - slightly combustible | 4 - combustible | |
Fire Properties Group |
Average Specific Extinction Area: |
<250
|
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Bushfire Resistance: |
BAL 12.5 and 19 – Door and window joinery only
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The sapwood of rosewood is up to 60mm wide and of a pale yellow colour, while the heartwood can be either golden brown or a dark blood-red. The grain is variable and the texture is medium. The burrs, which gets its name 'Amboyna wood' from the Indonesian island of Ambon, are highly prized in furniture-making.
The attractive appearance of rosewood has made it highly prized for furniture, veneer, turnery, and paneling. It is also used for knife handles and guitar-making. Some trees produce very highly figured burrs, which are used in the European furniture trade under the name 'Ambonya wood'.
In sawn form rosewood is easily worked with hand and machine tools. It polishes well, but the heartwood is hard to stain.
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